


new-bent in heaven

by Waywarder



Series: Ineffable Shakespeare, or: The Other Arrangement [5]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: A Midsummer Night's Dream - Freeform, References to Shakespeare, hand holding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:15:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24371911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Waywarder/pseuds/Waywarder
Summary: Aziraphale and Crowley visit Shakespeare's Globe in the summer of 2016.
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Ineffable Shakespeare, or: The Other Arrangement [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1711726
Comments: 11
Kudos: 54





	new-bent in heaven

_Summer, 2016._

_Nearly there._

Without question, the Apocalypse was three years away. It had been a stressful sort of time, as you can well imagine, and so Aziraphale found himself craving one particular doughnut. It was this lovely vanilla custard filled confection, so surely you can grant him your understanding. 

Crowley rolled his eyes when the call came but he agreed to meet the angel at Borough Market all the same. 

“Are you quite sure I can’t… _persuade_ you to try one?” Aziraphale asked again, bringing his thumb up to wipe some errant custard from the corner of his mouth.

Hands in his pockets (mostly to stop the itch of wanting to clean Aziraphale up himself), Crowley shook his head, auburn hair brushing against his shoulders. 

It was supposed to be a work meeting, you know; swap information about the Antichrist, keep one another in the loop, etc, etc, etc. 

But, oh, it was such a lovely early afternoon. And Aziraphale was so happy with his doughnut, and Crowley was so happy to have ended up in Aziraphale’s company. So, they just wandered through the market and talked about anything and everything, grateful for time together in the sunlight. 

They stopped in their tracks as they realized where their strolling had led them.

It wasn’t the first of Shakespeare’s Globes they’d known together, but it was beautiful all the same. Aziraphale actually brought a hand up to his heart in reverence.

“You know, it’s been years,” the angel confessed, gazing fondly upon the playhouse. “Oh, it does bring back such lovely memories, doesn’t it?”

He turned that fondness towards Crowley, and the demon’s knees nearly gave out.

“Wonder what’s playing,” Crowley said, stupidly, lacking anything better to say.

Aziraphale turned back to the playhouse, and eagerly scanned for some sign of a poster. 

“ _A Midsummer Night’s Dream,_ ” Aziraphale discovered, excitement coloring his tone. “Oh, I’ve heard of this production, my dear. It’s supposed to be quite new and daring.”

“ _Midsummer,_ huh?” 

_Well said, Crowley,_ sneered a voice in his head. _Smooth as anything._

“You prefer the funny ones, don’t you?” Aziraphale smiled at him. But then Aziraphale seemed to catch himself, because the smile faded almost instantly, and his gaze shifted down to his hands. Shakespeare was a tricky thing between them, you see.

“Let’s see it,” Crowley blurted out. 

Aziraphale looked back up at Crowley, all sunshine and starlight and _fuck, he’s beautiful._ “Oh, would you really like to?”

“Love to.”

_Love anything that makes your face light up like that._

Some magic was hastily performed, and the two now stood inside the yard of the Globe.

“You can make a contribution or something later,” Crowley told Aziraphale when he saw the angel’s worried face getting ready to launch into a diatribe about the importance of financially supporting the arts, and oh, they really should have visited the box office first, and and and.

His fussy, reliable angel. 

There were already scores of Groundlings crowding around the front of center stage. Aziraphale looked at them with some dismay in his eyes. Crowley couldn’t have that. He dared to take the angel’s hand in his own, and tugged on him gently.

“Follow me.”

They proceeded to bob and weave their way together through the crowd, finally making their way terribly far stage right, but practically able to touch the stage itself. Well, I say “practically,” but let it be known that Aziraphale did reach out and place a hand on the stage. He stroked it softly as though it were some great, magnificent animal, which, in a way, it is. 

“Oh, Crowley,” he breathed. “It’s the perfect spot. Thank you.”

Crowley jerked his head a little in response, a little overwhelmed by the fact that Aziraphale’s non-stage-petting hand was currently still within his own. More theatregoers began to crowd in around them and press them even closer to the stage. 

Even closer to one another.

“ _Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour  
Draws on apace…_”

And as London gave way to old Athens and to the magical woods therein, Aziraphale and Crowley stood side to side, arm to arm, thigh to thigh, hand within hand.

***

The show ended, the applause was rapturous, and Aziraphale and Crowley tumbled out together back onto Bankside along with the rest of the delighted crowd. Aziraphale was beaming.

“Oh, Crowley, I wasn’t certain at first about all the lights, but, my goodness, I felt like I was hearing the story for the first time again!” Aziraphale exclaimed, hands flinging to and fro wildly in his enthusiasm.

Crowley savoured every word. He didn’t go in for vanilla custard doughnuts, but mostly just because he couldn’t fathom anything sweeter or more precious than an excited Aziraphale. 

“And that clever change from ‘Helena’ to ‘Helenus,’ I just wasn’t sure at first, but oh, what a sad new shade to the relationship, and that Titania. Oh, she was glorious, wasn’t she?” 

“She was wonderful, angel.”

“I think they were the best Oberon and Titania I’ve ever seen,” Aziraphale gushed, nearly beside himself. “What did you think, my dear?”

“They were good,” Crowley shrugged casually.

Aziraphale gasped. “Crowley! They were absolutely-”

“We’d be better,” Crowley said, more to the ground than to Aziraphale. 

He heard another small intake of breath, and then:

“ _Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania._ ”

Crowley jerked his head up and frowned. “Wait a minute, _you’re_ Oberon?”

Aziraphale shrugged, going a bit pink in the cheeks. “Well, you are rather proud, Crowley.”

“Yeah, but look at you,” Crowley gestured his hands at Aziraphale. “You’re all glowy and shiny like a Fairy Queen ought to be.”

“Because you’re presently acquainted with so many actual Fairy Queens?”

“Look, I knew the actual Puck! Right bastard he was.”

“Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania,” Aziraphale recited again, placing his hands behind his back and moving in towards Crowley, affecting some kingly bluster as he spoke. Crowley gaped a little. Was he… He _was._

Aziraphale circled Crowley, expectantly.

_That’s my move,_ Crowley wondered, horrifically in love. He cleared his throat, tossed his red hair back, and:

“ _What, jealous Oberon! Fairies, skip hence:  
I have forsworn his bed and company._”

Crowley frowned. Huh. He didn’t like the feel of those words on his tongue. He’d never forswear Aziraphale. His company or his…

Fuck.

“I know,” Aziraphale said, kindly, when he registered the look on Crowley’s face. “It’s not quite right, is it?”

Crowley hated to let Aziraphale down. “Sorry, angel. I know you like the words.”

“How about… _Give me your hands if we be friends?_ ” Aziraphale asked, softly, holding a hand to Crowley.

Crowley took it. 

Because they were friends. First, last, and always. 

“ _The course of true love never did run smooth,_ you know,” Aziraphale murmured, thumb stroking just once over the back of Crowley’s hand. 

Crowley nodded. He knew.

The Apocalypse was three years away, and two immortal beings dared to hold hands standing alongside the river. 

_Trip away; make no stay;  
Meet me all by break of day._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Also: Shakespeare's Globe needs our help! Really, all theatre needs our help. If you've a favorite place to see Shakespeare, please check out their website or social media channels today, and see if there's a way you can support them during these scary times.


End file.
